A first-stage booster detached from China's "Long March-10B" rocket approaches a floating platform at sea, slowing down through retropropulsion.
[When the rocket returns, a net deploys at a set height to stably catch the descending rocket from the sky.]
Unlike the United States, which catches boosters using robotic arms on the launch pad, China succeeded in recovering a booster using a net.
This makes China the second country to possess rocket reuse technology, with Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin, northeastern China, contributing to the process.
University researchers participated in developing core modules, such as a device to safely capture high-speed falling boosters, stabilize their posture after recovery, and an automatic securing system.
Established in 1920, Harbin Institute of Technology is a prestigious institution that has produced talent in strategic fields such as aerospace, missiles, and satellites.
Because of this, the U.S. Department of Commerce placed the university on its export control list in 2020, and since then, China has accelerated its pursuit of core technology self-reliance, centered around universities and research institutes.
Inside the Harbin Institute of Technology campus is an aerospace museum where visitors can see the achievements of China's space industry at a glance. On weekends, an average of 6,000 people visit daily to learn about rocket propulsion principles and satellite structures.
[Wang Lingqi (17) : The model of the 'Dongfeng-2' at the entrance left a deep impression. It was much larger than I had imagined. I think China's space industry is making progress every year.]
Professors who fostered future generations in laboratories step up as exhibition guides after retirement.
[Wang Luowei / Museum Guide : The Harbin Institute of Technology Aerospace Museum has a professional volunteer corps. It is entirely composed of retired professors and experts, and its purpose is to share the achievements and technologies of the space industry with the public.]
During the vacation season, the aerospace museum is bustling like this with students from all over the country.
Ultimately, this high level of interest in the space industry serves as the driving force behind its development.
Returning Rockets Caught with Nets... 'Harbin Institute of Technology' Where Space Talents Gather (July 27, 2026, 12 PM News)
Reported by Choi Go-woon | Written by Lee Se-young | Video by Choi Deok-hyun | Video Editing by Kim Ho-jin | Produced by SBS Digital News
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